Fisker joins the remarkably long line of car manufacturers who want to help the Pope with a new pope mobile. The Fisker Ocean serves as the basis for the electric pope mobile.
None other than Henrik Fisker himself presented the plans to Pope Francis during a visit to Vatican City. Fisker was there together with his partner and co-owner Geeta Gupat-Fisker.
Henrik Fisker says he is inspired by the attention that the Pope himself seems to have for the environment. Fisker calls his Ocean ‘the most sustainable car in the world’, so that fits nicely with the company’s vision. This sustainability is not only reflected in the electric powertrain, but also, for example, in the materials used.
Now all this is not unique, but Pope Francis seems happy with the plans for the time being. The Ocean will of course have the famous glass ‘bell jar’ on the back. On the drawings, the license plate has also been changed, in the usual ‘SCV 1’ for the pope mobile. The car must already be in the ‘Status Civitatis Vaticanae ‘are delivered. The Pope will be there quickly, because the production start for the Ocean is scheduled for the end of 2022.
First BEV
Fisker calls this car the first electric pope mobile, but we still add that it could only be the first battery electric pope mobile. Toyota previously supplied the Vatican with two converted Toyota’s Mirai, hydrogen-powered cars.
Modest
Francis himself is very modest when it comes to his transport. In 2013, the head of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church already called for transport to be implemented in a modest way. Although the Pope is traditionally showered with gifts from all kinds of car manufacturers, Francis puts his money where his mouth is: within the Vatican he is often spotted on board a Ford Focus that is at least 13 years old.
The Fisker Ocean is a bit less modest, but again not a huge showpiece. The car is on the US price list for $ 37,499 and must cost 32,000 euros in Germany after the subsidies applicable there.
Signature
During the visit, the pope was also tempted to place a signature on a sketch by Fisker, so that plate can be placed directly on the wall in California.